Drapery pleating and folding apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies after cleaning and when they are being folded and finished. The apparatus includes a pair of upright standards with an elongate horizontal drapery hanger bar extending between the standards and arranged for vertical travel along the standards. A plurality of drapery connectors are movable horizontally along the hanger bar and are arranged to suspend a drapery therefrom such that it can be positioned to be grasped by a pleater assembly that is also arranged to extend between the vertical standards. The pleater assembly is thus beneath the hanger bar and it is also mounted for vertical travel with respect to the upright standards. The pleater assembly includes a pair of interacting pleater members adapted to clamp the pleats in the lower portion of the drapery. For this purpose, one of the pleater members has inflatable fingers expandable into pressing engagement with respect to interacting fingers of the other pleater member, thereby clamping the positioned drapery pleats between the interacting fingers and holding them as the hanger bar is elevated to stretch the drapery.

United States Patent [72] Inventor J Elks Aurora, Utah 84620 [2]] Appl.No 35.681 [22] Filed May 8, 1970 [4S] Patented July I3, 1971 {54)DRAPERY PLEA'ITNG AND FOLDING APPARATUS I0 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 223/32 [5|] Int. Cl Adlh43/00 D06] 1/00 [50] Field ofSearch223/28- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3.445.044 5/]969Boyes 223/32 3 506, I 69 4/1970 Hales 22 3/32 Primary ExaminerlordanFranklin Assistant Examiner-George V Larkin Au0rney B. Deon CriddleABSTRACT: An apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies aftercleaning and when they are being folded and finished. The apparatusincludes a pair of upright standards with an elongate horizontal draperyhanger bar extending between the standards and arranged for verticaltravel along the standards. A plurality of drapery connectors aremovable horizontally along the hanger bar and are arranged to suspend adrapery therefrom such that it can be positioned to be grasped by apleater assembly that is also arranged to extend between the verticalstandards, The pleater assembly is thus beneath the hanger bar and it isalso mounted for vertical travel with respect to the upright standards.

The pleater assembly includes a pair of interacting pleater membersadapted to clamp the pleats in the lower portion of the drapery. Forthis purpose, one of the pleater members has inflatable fingersexpandable into pressing engagement with respect to interacting fingersof the other pleater member, thereby clamping the positioned draperypleats between the interacting fingers and holding them as the hangerbar is elevated to stretch the drapery.

Ila

PATENTEuJuuaosn 3592,2369

sum 2 BF 2 IN VENTOR. JOHN H HA L E S BY 610 we.

AT TORNE' Y DRAPERY PLEATING AND FOLDING APPARATUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OFTHE INVENTION Prior Art This invention relates to apparatus for pleatingand stretching draperies after cleaning and prior to at the time whenthey are being folded and finished. It is an improvement over theapparatus shown and described in my copending application for patent,Ser. No. 658,490, now Pat. No, 3,506,169 dated Apr. 14, I970, entitledDrapery Pleating and Folding Apparatus.

As noted, apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies between a pairof draperycngaging members vertically movable relative to each other hasbeen proposed heretofore. While this previously known pleating andstretching apparatus has been found satisfactory in most respects, ithas become apparent that means heretofore employed for clamping draperypleats between interacting finger of relatively fixed and mova blepleater members has not been entirely satisfactory. This is because theinteracting fingers sometimes fail to positively grip the drapery sothat it can be stretched, since only one side of the pleat is clamped;the drapery sometimes catches on the tips of the fingers and thepleating bar assemblies heretofore proposed have been relatively complexand costly to manufac ture and to maintain in operation BRIEF SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION Accordingly. it is an object ofthe present invention toprovide an improved drapery pleating and stretching apparatus and moreparticularly to provide an improved pleater member of a pleater assemblyfor securely and safely clamping the lower end of a drapery in a pleatedconfiguration. and for anchoring the lower end so that the drapery maybe stretched by elevating its upper end.

Other objects are to provide an improved pleater assembly that is easyand relatively inexpensive to construct; one that is rapidly and easilyused by even inexperienced persons; one that is safe to use, and onethat will effectively clamp both sides ofa pleat.

Still other objects are to provide an expansible finger for use withpleater assemblies that will have a controlled lateral ex pansion togive a maximum gripping force and to make such fingers so that they areeasily replaceable.

In the accomplishment of the foregoing objects, I provide as features ofmy invention, fingers for one of the pleater members that will expandinto clamping engagement with interacting rigid fingers of thecooperating pleater member. The cxpansible fingers are preferably madeof stretchable, gas-impervious material reinforced to cause lateralexpansion when gas under pressure is introduced therein and includingfittings whereby the expansible fingers can be readily secured to andremoved from a header-forming part of their pleater member.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed specification and claims taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. I is a front elevation of a drapery pleating and folding apparatusembodying the invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the pleater assemblyportion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3. a greatly enlarged vertical section taken on the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4, a greatly enlarged, fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 inFIG. 2, and showing the expansible fingers in their contractedcondition;

FIG. 5, a similar view, but with the expansible fingers ex panded; and

FIG 6, a vertical section, taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the improved drapery pleatingand folding apparatus includes a pair of spaced vertical standards I0and 11 having stabilizing legs Illa and I la, respectively, at thebottoms thereof to provide means for holding the standards in theirupright condition. A hanger bar I2 extends between the upright standardsand conven tional means (not shown in detail) are provided for movingthe hanger bar up and down and for locking its position with respect tothe standards I0 and II.

A pleater assembly, shown generally at I4, extends between the standardsI0 and 1], below the hanger bar I1, and provides a means whereby thepleats ofa drapery suspended from the hanger rod can be clamped inplace. Conventional means (not shown in detail) are provided to connectthe pleater as sembly to the standards, whereby they are movablevertically therealong and can be locked thereto in any desired position.

With the apparatus as heretofore generally described, a drapery such asis shown at IS in FIG. I, is stretched to a desired length by loweringthe hanger bar 12, hanging the top of the drapery thereon, raising thehanger bar upright slightly before clamping the pleats in the pleaterassembly, and locking the pleater assembly in place. Thereafter, thehanger bar is raised to stretch the drapery to desired length and islocked in place.

The conventional means for attaching the hanger bar and pleater assemblyto the standards and for locking them in place can be, for example, asshown and described in the aforementioned pending application forpatent, Ser. No. 658,490, or of such other conventional type as may besuitable.

In any event, the attachment means for the pleater assembly will befastened to side plates I9 and 20, forming part of the pleater assemblyand a channel-shaped pleater bar I6 attached between the sideplates tobe vertically movable with them.

As best shown in FIGS. 2,3 and 6, a relatively fixed pleater member 22includes the pleater bar I6 which has a plurality of equally spacedapertures 23 extending therethrough, along its entire length. Alsosecured to the pleater bar and forming part of the fixed pleater memberis a header or air duct member 24, FIG. 3. The interior of the air ductmember is in communication with each of apertures 23 through the pleaterbar.

Equally spaced, expansible fingerlike members 25 are disposed at rightangles to the pleater bar and form another part of the fixed pleatermember 22.

The expansible fingerlike members each include a rigid reinforcementband 26 of metal, plastic, heavy molded rubber or any other suchmaterial, and having a generally U-shaped configuration, with inturnedopposed legs 26:: and 26a. Bolts 27 are then recessed into the legs 26aand 26b and extend therethrough to be inserted through holes 28 providedtherefor through the pleater bar I6. An opening 29 is formed between theends of the opposed legs to allow for passage of air from the air ductmember 24 through an aperture 23. The band 26 has a rounded outer endand an enlarged tip which is designed to prevent drapery from catchingon the ends or corners of the projecting strips as the drapery folds areplaced in between fingers of the fixed and movable pleater members, aswill be more fully described. Inserted within the boundary formed by theband 26 and bonded or otherwise affixed thereto, is an inflatable,thick-walled rubber member 30 having an air aperture 31 aligned with theopening 29 formed between the ends in the pleater bar I9 of the legs 26aand 26b. The opening 29 is thus arranged to be in communication with theinterior of air duct members 24 when nuts 32 are threaded onto bolts 27to secure the fingerlike member to the pleater bar.

One end of the air duct member 24 is connected by a flexible hose 3Ia toa source of compressed air 32. A flow control valve 33 of any suitable,known type is provided to regulate flow from the source, through theflexible hose to the air duct member. The source of compressed air maybe a pump, a pressure tank, a compressor or any other such source orcombination of sources. A conventional pressure gauge can be used in theair system, ifdesired.

A movable pleater member, shown generally at 35 includes a secondpleater bar 36 that extends parallel to pleater bar 16 and that is fixedto the ends of arms 37 and 3B, the other ends of which are pivotallyconnected to posts 40' and 40', rigidly upstanding from and movable withthe sideplates l9 and 20.

Rigid flat fingers 39 are spaced along and project at right angles fromthe pleater bar 36 and the lengths of the arms 37 and 38 are such thatas they are pivoted. each of the spaced rigid fingers will move into orout of a position between ad jacent fingerlike members 25, fixed to thepleater bar [6 with the fiat faces of the fingers 39 then being oppositeadjacent fingerlike members 25.

While all of the fingers and fingerlike members and both pleater membersare vertically movable as part of the pleater assembly, on the standards10 and H, the relative positions of the pleater members does not changeand the pleater member 22 is fixed with respect to the movable pleatermember 35.

In operation, when the rigid fingers 39 are positioned between adjacentfingerlike members 25 and control valve 33 is opened, compressed air isforced through the air duct 24 and openings 23, into the members 30.

The bands 26 limit the direction of expansion of the members 30, therebyforcing them to expand laterally into engagement with the flat surfacesof the rigid fingers 39. Naturally, if drapery pleats are first placedbetween the rigid fingers and the fingerlike members, the pleats will besecurely clamped by the expansion.

Closing of the control valve after expansion will lock the pressurizedair in the members 30 and will insure that the clamped pleats will besecurely held.

The pressurized air can be released by turning control valve 33 to anexhaust position or another separate exhaust valve or other such systemcould as well be used. While not shown, a vacuum pump can be used toexhaust air from the expansible fingerlike members ifa more rapidexhaust is desired.

The clamping mechanism is easy to use, requiring only a simple valveoperation. it provides a very effective clamp, but at the same time itis gentle to fabrics and safe to use.

Because the members 30 are flexible, even if a user should inadvertentlyposition a finger or hand between pleating fingers when the clampingoccurs there is not likely to be a serious injury suffered.

The amount of clamping pressure exerted may be set as desired and, ifdesired, a pressure relief valve 40 can be provided between the controlvalve 33 and the air duct 24 so that pressures above that desired, asdetermined by the setting of the relief valve will be prevented.

Although a preferred form of my invention has been herein disclosed, itis to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example andthat variations are possible without departing from the subject mattercoming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter lregard as my invention,

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies comprising incombination a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart standards;

a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along and locka' ble to saidstandards;

a pleater assembly extending horizontally below said hanger bar andvertically movable with respect to and lockable to said standards, saidpleater assembly including,

a relatively fixed pleater member having a first pleater bar withexpansible. fingerlike members spaced therealong and projecting at rightangles therefrom,

a relatively movable pleater member having a second pleater bar withrigid. flat projecting fingers extending at right angles therefrom andmeans for moving said second pleater bar with its projecting fingers toextend between adjacent projecting fingerlike members of said firstpleater bar, and

means for expanding and contracting said expansible, fingerlike elementsinto engagement with the faces of rigid fingers adjacent thereto.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim l, wherein the expansiblefingerlike members each include a generally Ushaped, substantially rigidband, each of which is secured at right angles to the first pleater bar.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein the inflatable means isa thick-walled rubber member in' serted within the boundary formed bythe generally U- shaped band.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first pleater barhas a plurality of aperture spaced longitudinally along its length;

an air channel secured thereto, with air opening in communication withsaid apertures; and

means mounting the expansible fingerlike elements on the said bar suchthat the interiors thereof are in communication with said apertures.

5. The apparatus of claim I, wherein the relatively movable pleatermember is mounted to be pivoted with respect to the relatively fixedpleater member, the second pleater bar thus being travelled in an arc toand from a position where the fingers thereon are projecting into andbetween adjacent expansible, fingerlike members on the said firstpleater bar.

6. A pleater bar for use in a pleater assembly comprising a bar;

a plurality of U-shaped, substantially rigid bands, said bands beingattached to, longitudinally equally spaced along, and projecting at aright angle from one side of said bar to form finger members; and

an inflatable member inserted within the boundary formed by each of theU-shaped bands and said bar and expandable laterally on each side ofsaid strap.

7. A pleater bar as in claim 6, further including an air duct extendinglongitudinally along and fixed to the other side of the bar; and

spaced openings through the bar arranged to interconnect the interior ofthe air duct and the interior of the expansible members.

8. The pleater bar as defined in claim 6, wherein the inflatable membersare ofa thick-walled expansible material.

9. Apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies having a pair ofupwardly extending, spaced-apart standards;

a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along and lockable to saidstandards, a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extendinghorizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar andlockable to said standards, said pleater assembly including a relativelyfixed member having a first pleater bar, and a second pleater bar withflat fingers extending therefrom and means for positioning said secondpleater bar parallel and adjacent to the first pleater bar;

the improvement comprising expansible, fingerlike members, means forsecuring said fingerlike members in spaced relationship along the firstpleater bar, whereby the fingers on the second pleater bar are movablebetween adjacent fingerlike members; and means to expand and contractthe said expansible, fingerlike members.

ill. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the fingerlike memberseach include generally U-shaped substantially rigid band; and

an expansible thick-walled rubber member inserted within the boundaryformed by the generally U-shaped strap and the said first pleater barand affixed to the band.

1. Apparatus for pleating and stretching draperies comprising incombination a pair of upwardly extending spaced-apart standards; ahorizontal hanger bar vertically movable along and lockable to saidstandards; a pleater assembly extending horizontally below said hangerbar and vertically movable with respect to and lockable to saidstandards, said pleater assembly including, a relatively fixed pleatermember having a first pleater bar with expansible, fingerlike membersspaced therealong and projecting at right angles therefrom, a relativelymovable pleater member having a second pleater bar with rigid, flatprojecting fingers extending at right angles therefrom and means formoving said second pleater bar with its projecting fingers to extendbetween adjacent projecting fingerlike members of said first pleaterbar, and means for expanding and contracting said expansible, fingerlikeelements into engagement with the faces of rigid fingers adjacentthereto.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the expansiblefingerlike members each include a generally U-shaped, substantiallyrigid band, each of which is secured at right angles to the firstpleater bar.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein theinflatable means is a thick-walled rubber member inserted within theboundary formed by the generally U-shaped band.
 4. The apparatus asdefined in claim 1, wherein the first pleater bar has a plurality ofaperture spaced longitudinally along its length; an air channel securedthereto, with air opening in communication with said apertures; andmeans mounting the expansible fingerlike elements on the said bar suchthat the interiors thereof are in communication with said apertures. 5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the relatively movable pleater memberis mounted to be pivoted with respect to the relatively fixed pleatermember, the second pleater bar thus being travelled in an arc to andfrom a position where the fingers thereon are projecting into andbetween adjacent expansible, fingerlike members on the said firstpleater bar.
 6. A pleater bar for use in a pleater assembly comprising abar; a plurality of U-shaped, substantially rigid bands, said bandsbeing attached to, longitudinally equally spaced along, and projectingat a right angle from one side of said bar to form finger members; andan inflatable member inserted within the boundary formed by each of theU-shaped bands and said bar and expandable laterally on each side ofsaid strap.
 7. A pleater bar as in claim 6, further including an airduct extending longitudinally along and fixed to the other side of thebar; and spaced openings through the bar arranged to interconnect theinterior of the air duct and the interior of the expansible members. 8.The pleater bar as defined in claim 6, wherein the inflatable membersare of a thick-walled expansible material.
 9. Apparatus for pleating andstretching draperies having a pair of upwardly extending, spaced-apartstandards; a horizontal hanger bar vertically movable along and lockableto said standards, a vertically movable pleater bar assembly extendinghorizontally between said rigid members below said hanger bar andlockable to said standards, said pleater assembly including a relativelyfixed member having a first pleater bar, and a second pleater bar withflat fingers extending therefrom and means for positioning said secondpLeater bar parallel and adjacent to the first pleater bar; theimprovement comprising expansible, fingerlike members, means forsecuring said fingerlike members in spaced relationship along the firstpleater bar, whereby the fingers on the second pleater bar are movablebetween adjacent fingerlike members; and means to expand and contractthe said expansible, fingerlike members.
 10. The apparatus as defined inclaim 8, wherein the fingerlike members each include generally U-shapedsubstantially rigid band; and an expansible thick-walled rubber memberinserted within the boundary formed by the generally U-shaped strap andthe said first pleater bar and affixed to the band.